NFL Power Rankings | Tier 3: They should compete for a playoff spot
These teams have rosters that should at least compete for a playoff spot, if not win their divisions.
20) Arizona Cardinals
It’s just so hard to trust this… unique… roster. They have a plethora of names at receiver and have invested a lot in the position, but they’ve done the opposite on the defensive side of the ball. Byron Murphy can certainly hold his own, but the cornerback room leaves a lot to be desired outside of him.
They’ll need big contributions from J.J. Watt (who’s often injured) and Chandler Jones (who doesn’t appear to want to be a Cardinal anymore). The offense needs to do the work, and the horizontal raid just hasn’t been all that inspiring.
19) Denver Broncos
This is unfortunate, really. With one of the deepest secondaries we’ve seen in recent history, Denver has a roster ready-made to make a playoff run. They also have a few pass rushers in Bradley Chubb and Von Miller looking to have strong seasons, with a strong, young group of receivers and a strong TE in Noah Fant. Garett Bolles has improved his game drastically, and the OL looks good outside of a question at RT.
Yet, Teddy Bridgewater is the starting QB after beating out Drew Lock.
18) Indianapolis Colts
The Colts feel a lot like the Broncos, except they have the illusion of upside in their corner. Listen, Carson Wentz could be an abject disaster like he was in 2020, and this could be a bad team. However, if he simply plays at a passable level, this team could win double-digit games in 2021. Their standing in NFL power rankings could fluctuate wildly throughout the regular season. They might be the highest variance team in the league.
17) Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota has a known commodity at QB. It’s really the only reason they’re rated as highly as they are in the NFL power rankings. While their defensive line should be improved in 2021, the secondary remains questionable outside of Harrison Smith. The Vikings just aren’t a team that appears to possess much upside. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them make the playoffs, but it also might be a stretch to expect it.
16) Los Angeles Chargers
Speaking of high variance, the Chargers still exist. Every year they suck us in with their beautiful powder blue jerseys, only to suffer catastrophic injuries to key parts of their roster. Every year, they end up disappointing.
Could the quiet biology major they have throwing missiles around the yard change their fortune? If Derwin James and Joey Bosa can stay healthy, this defense could be dangerous under Brandon Staley, despite not having the best cornerback room.
15) New England Patriots
There isn’t a more difficult decision than figuring out who should be higher between the Patriots and Dolphins. Both teams should compete to win 10 games in 2021 if they continue to get the level of QB play we saw from each in the preseason. The Patriots still have the best coach in the history of the NFL, and they return key pieces defensively.
14) Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa appears locked in, and that’s without seeing Will Fuller on the outside. Between Jaylen Waddle, DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, and Preston Williams, he has plenty of weapons at his disposal. Myles Gaskin looks like a difference-maker as well. As long as this offensive line can survive, this could be a surprisingly good team in 2021.
13) New Orleans Saints
The Saints have been disrespected by some this offseason, but outside of the question at quarterback, it’s difficult to understand why. They struggle at cornerback opposite Marshon Lattimore, but Malcolm Jenkins and Marcus Williams can help mitigate that issue.
Losing Michael Thomas to begin the season will be tough on the offense, but it’s likely to have a different look with Jameis Winston anyways. Nevertheless, Winston will have a chip on his shoulder against the Buccaneers twice this season.
12) Washington Football Team
The Washington Football Team won the NFC East last season. Their fans will be the first to point that out. They also did it by going 7-9 in a horrific division devoid of Dak Prescott. While the defense should remain dominant and the offense should improve, the volatility in Ryan Fitzpatrick’s game doesn’t give hope for any sort of offensive consistency.
11) San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers fall outside of Tier 2 in the NFL power rankings for one simple reason. I think they come third in their own division. Even though that is the best division in the league (and they could still make the playoffs and make a run), it’s difficult to know for sure until we see the on-field product.
They’ve already been to a Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo, but they were also No. 4 in defensive efficiency in 2019. Looking at their cornerback room and the loss of Robert Saleh, it’s difficult to envision a world where that happens again.
Tier 2: A playoff win is the goal
These teams expect to win a game in the 2021-2022 NFL Playoffs and compete in the Divisional Round. However, only 14 teams will make it, and only eight make it into the Divisional Round. That means two of these teams, at the very least, will fall short of their goal.
10) Dallas Cowboys
Ah, America’s team, the Hard Knocks stars. Dak Prescott is back and 100% healthy after a shoulder strain that sent football media straight into a self-destructive tailspin. He might be rusty when they start the season against the reigning Super Bowl champions, but they have the second-most lenient schedule in the NFL overall. They have the offensive talent to be the best in the league. It will take only an average defense to make their division title hopes a reality.
9) Tennessee Titans
The Titans are in the same boat as the Cowboys. Their offense the past few seasons has been a beacon of consistency, but they lost their offensive architect to the Falcons, and their secondary is young and unproven. Elijah Molden and Caleb Farley are both projected deep on the depth chart, but with no name recognition ahead of them, they better win some jobs quick, at least in Farley’s case.
8) Seattle Seahawks
Seattle has Russell Wilson. Listen, the Seahawks are just the neon Cowboys at this point. Their defensive depth chart is abysmal outside of their linebackers, so they’ll lean heavily on their offense to do the job for them. Wilson has more skins on the wall, which makes the team more palatable. Somehow, it still wouldn’t be a surprise to see them win the division because they’ve never had a losing season with Wilson under center.
7) Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is the savior of the Los Angeles Rams, somehow. No, Stafford is a supremely talented quarterback compared to Jared Goff. However, this is a team that has continuously ignored the NFL Draft and won’t have another first-round pick until I’m collecting social security. Having faith in Sean McVay is the only reason to fully invest in the Rams this high in the NFL power rankings.
6) Baltimore Ravens
They have a former league MVP and are one of the best-run organizations in any professional sporting league. They’ve worked hard to improve their unimpressive receiving corps. They need to get those guys healthy and keep them that way if they want to contend in the AFC North with the Cleveland Browns.
5) Cleveland Browns
That’s right — I said the Cleveland Browns. From top to bottom, they might be in contention for the best roster in the NFL. They made significant upgrades to the secondary with Troy Hill and John Johnson. They have one of the most dominant offensive lines in the NFL, and they have arguably the best 1-2 punch at RB. This season all comes down to Odell Beckham’s health and Baker Mayfield’s ascension.
Tier 1: Super Bowl expectations
Fans of these four franchises should enter the year with a Super Bowl ring in mind. Only one team can win, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see any of these four raise the Lombardi Trophy.
4) Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers has a chip on his shoulder for a second straight season, but he spent this summer with his 29-year-old actress fiancée traveling the world and not giving a single… crap… about anything other than his own happiness. It shows when he gets in front of a mic now. He’s completely freed up. And the entire league should be absolutely terrified of that.
The Packers are going to win the whole thing. Rodgers will hoist the trophy up and, after he sets it down, will flip double birds to Green Bay’s front office and walk off the field a champion. Then it’s off to celebrity golf tournaments and Jeopardy! guest hosting.
It doesn’t make sense, but it makes all the sense.
3) Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is a problem. Stefon Diggs is a problem. Brian Daboll and Sean McDermott are problems. They just aren’t problems for their own teams. No, they’re a problem for the rest of the league. As long as the Bills can get enough players vaccinated to stay on the field week to week, they’ll be a contender in the AFC and a contender for a Super Bowl. They have a roster with very few holes.
2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Speaking of a team with very few holes, it was almost impossible to do mock drafts for the Buccaneers during the last draft cycle. Their entire roster appears solid outside of some offensive line depth and having a future QB. They have an outstanding offensive line and an All-Pro right tackle in Tristan Wirfs. But it’s difficult to repeat in this league.
1) Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were a prime example of that last season. They probably should have repeated, but injuries to both offensive tackles and a hobbled elite quarterback gave Tampa Bay the edge. I was fully committed to keeping Tampa Bay at the top of the NFL power rankings. However, I watched this Chiefs offense play in the final preseason game. Mahomes, Hill, and Kelce are cheat codes within this Andy Reid offense.